LA Hunks of HIV Equal Flex Their Muscles Against HIV Stigma: Gallery

​The new HIV Equal campaign has really taken off, in no small part due to the bevy of hunky high-profile gay men who've posed for the testing initiative. Though the campaign celebrates diversity, there's nothing wrong with enjoying today's press release from HIV Equals that gathers a gaggle of gorgeous LA gays who are lending their taut, ripped hands and arms to help out.

From the release:

HIV Equal (www.HIVequal.org) is an all-inclusive anti-stigma and HIV testing initiative sponsored by World Health Clinicians (www.worldhealthclinicians.org). The campaign and health initiative are acutely aware that HIV affects everyone, but after the most recent shoot in Los Angeles--the city of beautiful people--there was an abundance of uber sexy men supporting the campaign.

The HIV Equal crew photographed and tested fabulous celebrities, artists and politicians throughout the course of a week. To date, HIV Equal has photographed and tested over 300 people in the last two months and the campaign is taking off like wildfire.

Since the launch on October 14, 2013, HIV Equal has received more than 2,600 Twitter followers @HIVEqual and over 2,000 Facebook "Likes"www.Facebook.com/HIVequal, and a rapidly growing fan base on Instagram (HIVequal). They were even awarded the title of "Best new HIV campaign" for 2013 by Healthline after less than 60 days in operation.

"All the buzz and excitement is extremely promising,” noted World Health Clinicians’ Executive Director, Scott Gretz. "We know that stigma is a huge hurdle we need to overcome in order to get people tested for HIV and to dramatically decrease transmission rates. We look forward to taking HIV Equal all over the country and reigniting the national conversation about HIV. The epidemic is NOT over."

Honestly I’m tired of these photo campaigns they come and go and stigma is still there. What we need is more coverage on medical studies being released ....so that people who are neg know what it means to have HIV or aids. Also a clarification on what it means to be undetectable (since its thrown around so much now a days and there’s a clear difference to not being undetectable and being undetectable). All people get from these campaigns is a pretty overly airbrushed picture that makes them feel good about themselves because they "contributed" to a cause. They should be leaving with an exorbitant amount of new found knowledge and how to deal with poz related situation.

Okay. I get the message in words. HIV is equal. It affects everyone and no one is immune to it. However why do they have over sexed pictures of ripped guys. Where are the regular guys AND gals. The ones that have a few extra pounds, some curves, love handles. Guys and gals that are your everyday people. The ones that walk down the street everyday and you don't have any remote idea of their status. That would make a better statement than this.

I have to say I love the idea of this campaign. I agree perhaps if they used a wider range of ethnicities in their models they wouldn't of had to pay the photo shopper so much. Again, nice concept. Just fell a little short.

I wish they have picked a better photographer, the images are over-retouched it looks like they have heavy make up and no pores. Also, there should be more minority representation. I think this things detract from the message.

I think the point of this campaign is to lessen the stigma around being HIV positive, not so you are less afraid to get it and stop taking care of yourself, but because many people are so afraid of the poz status that they don't get tested and expose many others to the virus. It is supposed to encourage people to get tested, know their status and take care of themselves and others without letting fear get in the way.

This campaign is a god damn joke and a completely generic rip off of the stigma project. I don't even have any idea who any of these hot guys are besides that one porn star. Sorry but we are not all HIV = some of us still continue to make wise choices and practice safe sex not all folks are promiscuous and not every one barebacks therefore we are not all HIV=

This campaign makes it seem like its okay to have HIV, cause supposedly these hot, buff, healthy guys have it and they look fine and have such great lives so just go bareback and get HIV cause its not a big risk if people you never assume have it!

I think u need to actually read about the campaign and what it's about because all these hot buff guys aren't suppose to represent guys that have HIV and still good and have great lives it's to represent support and to make people be aware that it's better to know your status and to educate people like u who are ignorant. I am one of the models in this campaign and I do not have HIV but I did this shoot to show my support and help stop the stigma. I hope u really take the time to learn what this amazing group of people are trying to do here.

If you are referring to my comments ... they were general in relation to how gay mags present the gay community from their pages. My original comment was to commend Instinct for showing some diversity in age and not the usual twenty-something’s in this particular article. The second comment really had nothing to do with the particular article ... but the majority of gay mags in general of how they generally exclude a large part of the true face of gay America. And if you really want to get right down with it … the older guys shown on the feed in this article are quite muscular … when the younger guys are slim to somewhat muscular. That in itself shows how one-sided most mags are in representing the community. If you are older, good-looking, and have an average body(even if you are in shape) … chances are you are overlooked. But, if you are younger and good-looking … whether your body is slim to muscular is irrelevant.

Thanks for incuding some older men in the mix. Hope you continue to serve the whole gay community, and not the the twenty-somethings. Nothing wrong with twenty-somethings ... use to be one. But, it makes for a healthier community when your represent all and mix it up.

Thanks for incuding some older men in the mix. Hope you continue to serve the whole gay community, and not the the twenty-somethings. Nothing wrong with twenty-somethings ... use to be one. But, it makes for a healthier community when your represent all and mix it up.

It's called the L.A. HUNKS not the Dumpy guys of L.A. (I would probably be featured, if it were. LOL) And likely that nobody would be paying attention to the campaign. If you READ the text instead of just drooling over the photos, you'll see that "HIV Equal has photographed and tested over 300 people in the last two months" - so chances are that there's a wide variety in that mix and more to come. Relax and enjoy the eye candy and hope that this helps to get the message out there where it is so badly needed.

Isn't this a blatant rip-off of an older organization called The Stigma Project? I see TSP doing actual work in the policy community. HIV Equal seems to be just an excuse to provide some washed up D-listers a chance for some free headshots...

think about it this way.. these peeps are embodying healthiness. if you don't watch what you eat and yo're not in the gym (or exerting cardiovascular activity in some fashion), then let's face it—you probably don't look like this haha. eradicating the stigma requires going in the opposite direction (albeit, maybe unrealistically?) to reduce the negative perception of what HIV is. i don't know, just high and rambling. bye.